Conveyer apparatus



MarclLl, 1932. T- K VOGELEY 1,847,148

. CONEYER APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1930 39 l 0x l INVENTOR @www @A a@ may Patented Mar. 1, 1932 1,847,148

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE K. VOGELEY, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA CONVEYER. APPARATUS Application .led May 26, 1930. Serial No. 455,570.

My invention relates to conveyer apparatus, While the mats will slip beneath those lumps and more particularly to those of the belt or of coal whose movements are abnormally obmat type. structed, thus avoiding stalling of the appa- While the invention is hereinafter described ratus, they nevertheless exert sufficient drag as particularly designed for use in coa-l mines, on the coal to move it under normal condiit will be understood that it is capable of tions. various other uses. The conveyer mats are mounted in a In coal mines where the coal is removed by framework consisting mainly of a somewhat first undercutting the coal seam to form a iiexible mat-supporting plate 11 that extends 1C kerf, diiiiculty has been experienced in profor substantially the full length and width of viding a conveyer which could be extended the structure, spacer bars 12 and 13; guide into the kerf, so that coal could be broken plates 14 and 15; and end brackets 16 and 17. down directly upon the conveyer, instead of The plate 11 serves as a support for the uphaving to be shoveled or pushed onto the per runs of the belts 10, to prevent exces- 15 conveyer. sive deflection of the belt by the weight of One object of my invention is to provide the coal and to prevent coal sifting through conveying apparatus of such form that it may the conveyer. The members 12, 13, 14, 15 and be conveniently moved into a kerf of usual 16 are secured together by bolts 19, the bolts dimensions. also extending through the plate 11. The

20 Another object of my invention is to prospacing bars 12 and 13 are preferably made vide a conveyer that is not likely to be damof wood such as oak or hickory, to provide aged or broken in service, and one which will yieldability, and they will Hex to permit the adapt itself to irregularities in a mine Hoor conveyer structure as a whole to bend and or other surface, and which can be CODVGII- accommodate itself to uneven floor surfaces. iently moved from one location to another. Furthermore, they are not subject to perma- Still another object of my invention is to nent deformation from falling lumps of coal prvide a conveyer structure of generally simor slate7 as are metal members, The plates pliiied and improved form. 14 and 15 serve as guides for the edges of the Some of the forms which my invention may belts 10, such plates extending forwardly take are shown in the accompanying drawpast` the point 21 where the conveyer is upings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a wardly inclined toward its discharge end. conveyer structure; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal The belts are driven by a pulley-like drivsectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a view, on an ing roller 22 that is journaled in the brackets enlarged scale, taken on the line III-III of 17 from any suitable source of power. The

taken on the line IV IV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a guide rod 23that is adjustably supported is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the in the brackets 16. This rod 23 is shown as structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an edge elenon-rotatable, since to provide suitable bearvational view thereof: Fig. 7 is a view. on ings therefor would require increase in the conveyer, and Fig. 8 shows a modilication of thus limiting its use to kerfs of greater the structure of Fig. 1. height. i

In the practice of my invention, I prefer The brackets 16 are bifurcated as indicatto use a belt or a mat conveyor, since such coned at to receive the plate 11 to which they stuck, particularly when operating in a kerf slotted portions 31, through which slots, the and conveying lumps of coal. In the present guide rod 23 extends. Screws 24 are freely case, I have shown a conveyer employing two rotatable in the slotted portions of the cross wire mats 10. These mats are preferably of bar and extend through threaded openings in 59 woven wire so that they will fiex readily. the rod 23. Pins 25 hold the'screws 24 against F ig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view. on an enlarged scale, opposite end of the conveyer belts pass around 0 an enlarged scale, of the .discharge end of the height of the conveyer atV its receiving end,

veyers are less likely to become clogged or are secured. The brackets are provided with i? displacement. It will be understood that when the' screws 24 are rotated, they will shift the rod 28 longitudinally of the conveyer, and thus vary the tension of the belts l0.

Cover plates 26 and 27 are provided at the receiving end of the conveyer and suitably secured to the brackets 16. Skid bars 28 preferably of half-round rods are secured to the' bottom of the conveyer frame to permit of conveniently sliding the conveyer from one location to another, and side boards or guard plates 29 are provided at the sides of the inclined portion of the conveyer to prevent coal from falling 0E.

As shown in Figs. l to 7, the conveyer is provided with two belts soas to secure the desired width and to permit ofconveniently mounting the central guide plate 14. If the belts 'l0 were made unitary or connected together at their inner edges, the belt would tend to bulge upward at its mid portion, under driving strains, particularly at the point 2l where it enters the inclined path, vunless a central guiding plate', such as Lthe plate 14, were provided.

rIhe plate 14 is more readily applied where the belt is divided into two sections as shown in Figui, but such a plate can, of course, be applied along the mid portion of a belt of wide Width.

The wires composing the mesh are of spiral form and extend in directions generally transversely of the belt, and their bends are so arranged as to loosely interlink with one another, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, thus permitting bending thereof on small radii without permanently distorting the mesh, as at the receiving end of the conveyer, where low height is required.

In operation, the conveyer may be connected to a cutting machine, in any suitable manner, for unitary traveling movement therewith into the kerf which is cut by the cutting machine. During advancing movement of the cutter and the conveyer, the flexibility of the conveyer permits the conveyer to adapt itself to unevenness in the mine floor, and to freely pass over particles of coal or other material, without tendency to bind in the kerf, or to impose unnecessary stresses upon the cutter, as would be the ease if the conveyer was rigidly constructed. More'- over, the wire mats flex with the framework so that the possibility of binding between the mats and the guides is eliminated, thereby preventing damage to the conveyer under abnormal operating conditions or under excessive loading.

It will be understood, however, that other types of mats may be employed so long as iexibility transversely of the same be provided.

I claim as my invention l. Conveyer apparatus movable on an uneven surface, comprising a flexible frame, a

pair of conveyer belts disposed in side-by-side relation and movable in the same direction, means at each end of the frame for movably supporting the said belts, and means mounted on the frame and positioned over the inner edges of the belts, for directing the adjacent runs of the belts in definite paths therewith durin flexing movements of the frame.

2. (ionveyer apparatus movable' on an uneven surface, comprising a flexible frame, a pair of conveyer belts disposed in side-by-side relation and movable in the same direction, means at each end of the frame for movably supporting the said belts, and guiding means mounted on the frame and positioned over the inner and the outer edges of the belts, for direc-ting the adjacent runs of the belts in definite paths therewith during `flexing movements of the frame.

3. Conveyer structure comprising a pair of conveyer mats disposed in side-byside relation, each mat being fiexiblein a direction transversely thereof, and a frame therefor including a flexible mat-supporting plate between the runs of the mats, yieldable spacing blocks adjacent to the edges of the mats, guiding plates on the blocks and overlying the edges of the mats, and means for connecting said plates and blocks to the said mat-supporting plate.

In testimony whereof I, the said THEoDoRE K. VoGnLEY have hereunto set my hand.

'II-IEDGRE K. VOGELEY. 

